This past week or so, I’ve had many people asking for my advice and overview of Hope for Homeowners. Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of info out there on the program from HUD, but no word as far as I’m aware of as far as a single lender that is offering the program out for brokering. I’ll be honest, I don’t expect we’ll see many if any.

It sounds like a great option on paper and seems to be enough to peak the interest of many originators who are looking for any possible signs of life out in the housing market but let’s look at this from a business perspective - what lender out there wants to take in any more risky loans at this point? Their portfolios are already overflowing with defaults and late payments. I suspect that H4H will be utilized mostly by those lenders that service their own loans as a way to assist homeowners in trouble so that they can avoid costly foreclosure and legal fees.

I don’t know about anyone else out there but I am still just absolutely dumbfounded that what is happening in our country was ever allowed to happen in the first place and quite frankly, I’m really angry about it. I am furious that people with Harvard and Princeton degrees who grew up with silver spoons in their mouths were allowed to make decisions to create and offer loan products to people who clearly never came close to qualifying for a mortgage.

It was all about the mighty dollar to them and nothing about common sense. They didn’t give a damn about consumers. That these people in these high-ranking positions were allowed to taint the image of the industry that so many of us dedicate our time and our lives to makes me absolutely livid. I don’t know about you, but I want answers and I demand that people be held accountable for their bad decisions and mismanagement. It shouldn’t have required rocket scientists to realize that people with no money in the bank, 60/80 ratios and ridiculously bad credit probably shouldn’t be approved for a 100% LTV mortgage.

I ran across a few opportunities in the past few years where I could have placed borrowers in sub-prime loans but I flat out refused to do it. Today, looking at the state of our economy it makes me really proud that I stuck to my morals and that I maintained my integrity. There is one couple that I am still communicating with who actually valued my opinion back when they approached me to buy a home in 2006. I could have stuck them in a sub-prime loan and made a bundle but I chose to take the high road, explain to them why I couldn’t do it to them and I offered to allow them to seek out the lender down the street I knew would jump at the chance.

Fortunately for them, they listened to my advice and I thank my lucky stars for them every single day that they did. Their lifestyle at that time would surely have lead them to the default and foreclosure status so many others are seeing right now. I just knew it wasn’t right for them and their credit and family financial status were worth more to me than a paycheck. They have followed along with me for this past year and a half and are working toward reaching the goals we set for them back in 2006. Eventually, I will get them into a home but only when I am 100% certain it’s financially smart for them and their family.

The one good thing to come out of all this crisis is the “changing of the guards” along with a serious “house cleaning” across the industry. I am guessing that many of the originators who jumped into our industry when “the getting was good” are long gone and that we’re left with those of us who take things seriously and maintain our stance on common sense no matter the price.

Even if you’re not able to assist troubled homeowners by offering them the Hope for Homeowners program, please do what is best for them and point them in the right direction. Be sure to visit the list of resources that HUD offers at www.fha.gov and suggest that they visit the site as well. HUD is expected to issue a list of participating lenders in the very near future and you will find the list there when it’s posted.

Stacey Sprain - As an op-ed writer, Ms. Stacey Sprain is currently a NAMP® Certified Ambassador Loan Processor (NAMP®-CALP). With over 15+ years of mortgage banking experience, Stacey is also a Quality Control Manager for a major mortgage lending institution.

Opinion-Editorial (Op-Ed) Disclaimer For NAMP® Library Articles: The views and opinions expressed in the NAMP® Library articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official NAMP® policy or position. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized in real-world application as they are based only on very limited and dated open source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of NAMP®. Nothing contained in this article should be considered legal advice.

This free mortgage training video discusses definition of Community Second Mortgage, who can provide the funds, what can it pay, general guidelines and more. Ideal for loan processors, officers and underwriters.

This free mortgage training video discusses important checklist to make sure that community seconds mortgage meets Fannie Mae requirements, detailed discussion of the checklist and more. Ideal for loan processors, officers and underwriters.

Mortgage underwriters and processors have one less form to manage on Fannie Mae loans. As part of its latest Selling Guide updates, Fannie announced that it is not longer requiring Form 1004MC. This was Fannie’s Marketing Conditions Addendum.

After spending months assessing and asking stakeholders for input, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has put on hold an initiative to change credit scoring models used by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced earlier this month that it is implementing the changes to the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) that were part of the recently passed Economic Growth, Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act. The FDIC released a similar statement.

Freddie Mac is making condominium purchases and refinances available for an automated appraisal waiver, joining fellow GSE Fannie Mae, which started the practice more than a year ago. Freddie Mac made the announcement last week. Its automated collateral evaluation (ACE) will accept eligible condo loans beginning Monday, July 16.

Almost one-third of the cost for the average multifamily development project is spent on complying with local, state and federal regulations. For about a quarter of apartment complex projects, the cost of regulations now accounts for more than 42 percent of the overall development cost.

For all the criticism it has received from the financial sector and from many in Congress and the White House, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can claim that at least one of its initiatives has helped both consumers and mortgage lenders — at least according to one industry measure.

Leading housing indicators suggest a busy upcoming season for mortgage processors and underwriters, according to the latest outlook from Fannie Mae, despite what the GSE called a lackluster first quarter.

Freddie Mac recently announced an initiative that continues an industry trend toward making mortgage loans more accessible. Freddie will launch its new HomeOne mortgage on July 29. HomeOne is a conventional 3 percent downpayment mortgage for qualified first-time homebuyers.

Less than a year after enabling higher debt-to-income (DTI) ratios for certain mortgage borrowers, Fannie Mae is adjusting its underwriting standards to address the risk associated with many of these loans.

More than a year into the Trump presidency, a rollback of Obama era mortgage lending regulations is gaining momentum. With encouragement from the mortgage and financial services industries, many in Congress are hoping to reduce the impact of regulations meant to combat conditions that lead to the 2008 financial crisis.

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae recently released their 2017 full-year and fourth quarter financial results. Here are some of the highlights: The recently passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act led to a sizable fourth-quarter net loss for both GSEs.

Things are heating up in the world of GSE reform. From Congress, to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to groups representing lenders and consumers, measures are being pushed and debated in hopes of ending federal government control of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Multiple efforts are underway that could make it easier to purchase and finance manufactured housing. Last week, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a “top-to-bottom review” of rules governing manufactured housing.

With a new presidential administration, a number of regulatory developments, and a strong housing market, 2017 was an eventful year for the mortgage industry. A number of these developments will carry over into the new year. Here are five things that could impact mortgage processors, mortgage underwriters and the rest of the industry in 2018.

Enjoy it while it lasts.It’s been a better-than-expected year for mortgage processors and underwriters. While there isn’t concern about a repeat of 2007-2008, the mortgage and housing industries are preparing for an eventual slowdown in activity.

When Donald Trump was elected president of the United States a year ago, the mortgage industry was hopeful his administration would alleviate the regulatory burden that intensified under the Obama Administration.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), set to expire in the coming weeks, was extended by President Trump earlier this month. But its future is as challenging to forecast as the path of an Atlantic hurricane.

Mortgage refinance activity is expected to drop off considerably this year and next due to rising mortgage rates. But a new program set to launch could create refinance opportunities for certain homeowners.

Last month, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized amendments to the “Know Before You Owe” mortgage disclosure rule. Formally known as the as the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure rule (TRID), the regulation requires mandatory compliance beginning Oct. 1, 2018, about three years after it first took effect.

It passed the House along party lines last month. The likelihood it gets through the Senate is dicey at best. But key parts of the Financial CHOICE Act may be enacted after they were included in the House Appropriations Committee’s Financial Services Subcommittee’s appropriations bill at the end of June.

I have said it before and I will say it again and that is, do not believe everything you hear or read for that matter. In this particular instance I am referring to AUS Findings. I have had countless conversations with processors and loan officer who want to know why I am asking for documentation that the AUS findings have clearly stated wasn’t needed or worse, they can’t believe I am turning a loan down that has an Approve/Eligible. So here it is again and pay particular attention to the details because just because you have an Approve/Eligible or Accept doesn’t necessarily mean you have a done deal.

From a mortgage approval standpoint I still find that most mortgage professionals are still stuck in the wonderful world of AUS. As in bygone days, they believe that if a case receives an automated underwriting approval then the case will be approved, no questions asked, no additional documentation required. Well, I am here to tell you, that’s just not the case.

I know, it doesn’t sound like something that any self respecting processor would engage in but it is happening all around us, it being meatball processing. Defining it is easy enough as well, just think processing on the fly and the end results as you can well imagine is a loan approval or more often, suspense, that resembles the collective works of Shakespeare, at least in page length and as we get busier, the items overlooked during processing continues to grow.

As underwriters, many of us spend our days reviewing guidelines, interpreting guidelines, answering questions with regard to guidelines and applying the now never ending overlays from our investors with regard to guidelines. Underwriting guidelines apply to every loan product and differ depending on which type of product you are underwriting however there are many common sense areas that apply to underwriting that are not addressed in handbooks.

A few days ago a friend and I were laughing over the fact that most people, including mortgage industry professionals, wonder if underwriters really exist. I myself have had staff from various brokers offices (which I do visit from time to time) say to me, “We have heard about underwriters but have never really seen one.

Seems there have been a few issues lately with regard to Total Scorecard findings and validity as well as misconceptions with validity periods for both appraisals and credit documents (credit reports) on FHA insured mortgage types so I thought it not a bad idea to clear a couple of things up.

Call it portfolio retention or risk management, but as of Wednesday, I had several of my investors pull out of the market where non-credit qualifying (streamline’s without appraisal) FHA streamline refinance transactions were concerned. Several have said they would only purchase them if they were currently servicing the loan and I now have one other who has changed guidelines on credit qualifying streamline refinance transaction to require a minimum median credit score of 700 for loan amounts less than 417,000 and 720 for loan amounts greater than 417. All of this just as everyone rev’s up for the reduction in UFMIP to .01%.

Residential mortgage underwriting is defined as the overall credit and valuation analysis of a particular borrower or borrowers with regard to overall financial health as well as the evaluation of collateral that might be used to secure the mortgage and as underwriters we relate this particular evaluation to calculation of housing to income and debt to income ratio’s, the evaluation of a borrower’s credit history as well as the review of a property appraisal.

Over the past 5 years I have had many conversations with people regarding the housing market which invariably becomes a discussion as to who is at fault for the collapse in 2007. Depending on who you are talking too, the blame is laid at the feet of big banks or mortgage brokers, Wall Street, FNMA or FHLMC and of course the diagnosis is generally that one or all of the aforementioned groups did it out of greed.

FHA issued a bulletin on April 18, 2012 informing the industry about HUD approved nonprofit participation in FHA loan financing. Basically HUD allows approved nonprofit agencies to act as a mortgagor utilizing FHA insured financing to purchase homes which will be designated for resale to low to moderate income families or in some instances rented to low moderate income families and as you can imagine where the affordable housing program concerned as it pertains to the rental units, the nonprofits may actually have more than one FHA insured mortgage.

Every lender operation is different. Some are operations friendly and others sales friendly and fortunately some are in between. As an industry educator as well as underwriter, I have many opportunities to talk to be originators and underwriters and as you can well imagine, many of those conversations end up being discussions about unreasonable underwriters asking for unnecessary file documentation and if I am speaking with underwriters, they always go in the direction of how management does not support them as underwriters and that they

I could be wrong but I don’t think I am when I say this program is a bad idea. To substantiate that statement I will quote one that I read on a LinkedIn post a couple days whereas one blogger posted the question “Is HARP 2.0 real, is anyone really closing them?” just to be answered by another blogger who posted, “yes, laughing all the way to the bank”. The sad truth is that I am sure that he is, unfortunately.

I know, it sound pretty elementary, we underwrite to see if the borrower qualifies, it’s that simple right? Actually it’s not that simple nor is the task of underwriting a basic exercise in calculating ratio’s, cash to close and making sure the borrower’s credit score is sufficient to meet investor criteria.

I know this statement will be relatively unpopular but I am going to say it anyway, thank goodness for the return of the FHA mortgage insurance program” In a HUD Public Affairs publication, No. 12-037, issued on February 27, 2012, HUD announced its intentions of again raising the UFMIP and MMI premiums to not only protect their capital reserves but also to encourage the return of private capital into the residential mortgage market.

The past few weeks have been quite interesting around the office for me, not because I have had opportunity to learn new things or underwriting interesting cases, but because I have had to endure a whole new level of customer complaints. It seems like more and more these days, when I pick up the phone it’s my boss saying to bring some loan officer to her office because again, she had just gotten chewed by another customer or real estate agent and in a time of dwindling business not to mention fees, this is never a good thing.

When I hear those words, they immediately evoke images of a world in which mortgage underwriting decisions are determined by AUS systems that have no capacity to either employ common sense underwriting principals or fairly or adequately assess overall risk. They are simply three more numerical values used by a computer model to “recommend” if a loan should be approved and just like its partner, the AUS, I think credit scoring as rule has outlived its usefulness.

I know what you’re thinking already, “Really Bonnie, we know all about them”, but I say untrue, this based on a conversation I had yesterday with an underwriter friend at Philadelphia HOC. It is always nice to talk to her, catching up with friends is always a good thing and as you can image, she will sometimes share with me some of the most common disastrous mistakes lenders make where various loan types are concerned.

When we say homeownership counseling, many of think of traditional counseling that a borrower might receive prior to the purchase of a new home, in many instances to receive grant funds, or perhaps homeownership retention counseling that a homeowner might seek should they be facing foreclosure but very seldom do loan originators consider homeownership or “credit counseling” as a means to generate new business.

Oil and water, two things that we all know do not mix well do to incompatible molecular structures, have become the poster child for underwriting with AUS. That’s correct, Oil (AUS) and water (manual underwriting). “How so”, you ask and the answer is a very simple one. We are still required to utilize automated underwriting on all cases that we underwrite however the findings don’t mean a thing where documentation waivers or loan approval is concerned.

Yes, it is important to know the guidelines and I am sure many of you who are underwriters are thinking that you do or you know them at least sufficiently to underwrite a case with the assistance or guidance from your AUS. We I am here to tell you that these days it’s a little trickier than that and I can prove that statement by way of buy backs just last month.

The use of the FHA and VA mortgage insurance programs has been on the rise since the great implosion of 2007 and most recent us several lenders embracing Rural Housing programs as well. As a mortgage underwriting employed on a full time basis by a bank as well as an industry educator who teaches program guidelines for these products for FHA Online University, I have seen literally thousands of people, industry professionals, government agencies and lender groups sign up for and participate in training for these programs in order to become proficient with the government lending product types.

I have been working in the mortgage industry for the past 25 years and have seen a lot of highs and lows. When I began, the GSE’s were just gearing up and the secondary market as we know it today was still in its infancy.

I know everyone has read an article or two in which I have stated the importance of the social aspect of why we underwriters do what we do. Homeownership or the preverbal roof over our heads is one of the most important aspects of human civilization and over the past couple of weeks I learned from a personal standpoint just how much this and a few other things that we often seem to take for granted mean to us as people and to our families.

Wow, talk about an increase in volume. With interest rates down there seems to be a renewal of interest in the FHA Streamline refinance program. It actually makes sense really, considering that many mortgages were refinanced into FHA mortgage types during 2008 and 2009 to relieve borrowers who had previously been placed in subprime mortgage types, the burden of excessive interest rates or adjustable rate features.

As volume continues to grow where overall originations of the FHA 203k program is concerned, so of course do errors. I realize that many of the lenders currently underwriting the program are proficient where policy and procedure for this program is concerned, however there are those lenders that are still somewhat new to the program and I thought I would share a little insight as to a few things to keep in mind while underwriting and servicing the program which hopefully spare some of you later issues with both HUD and your investors.

Before I begin, I just want to say that I left my flying monkeys home this morning so for those of you that enjoy my occasional black rant, you will be disappointed. However I will say overall sarcasm is not out of the question because here of lately whenever a discussion takes place that includes the federal government, excluding HUD of course, that relates to the real estate market, well it’s just impossible to not be sarcastic, they make it too easy.

The 203k is a great program for any individual who wants to buy a handy man special or property being sold at foreclosure and fix it up, or a current homeowner who would like to complete some updates to their existing home however many lenders are still unwilling to offer the program.

I was in the kitchen this morning having a conversation with a coworker. We were reminiscing about the good old days of HUD field offices, case number assignment lines and of course processing and underwriting without the benefit of fax machines, AUS or even the internet for that matter.

We have been listening to the gossip (most of which I started), since November, 2010 about how HUD has discussed lifting the moratorium on the 203k program designed for investors. Believe it not, the program actually did exist at one point and was quite successful from a utilization standpoint, but do to program abuse which included mass property flip schemes in the 1990’s, HUD was forced to eliminate the program for use in 1996.

Yes, it is, grim that is, and I am not referring to Wilhelm & Jacob Grimm. But just as they composed those fairy tales in the 1800’s, representing what might have been described as the capricious and cruel reality of daily life for most Europeans of that time, we to continue to face a housing and mortgage market that can also be described capricious. Unlike the tales of Brothers Grimm however, the ails of the current housing market do not seem to be getting softer or sweeter with time.

Understanding HUD REO- Part One: Overview of the REO Process. Last week, I presented Part One in a series of articles to help expand your knowledge and understanding of HUD REO (Real Estate Owned) Sales for purposes of FHA lending. This week, in part two of the series, you’ll find further explanation of the appraiser’s responsibilities in regards to the HUD REO appraisal requirements.

FHA recently released Mortgagee Letter 2012-13 which clarifies disaster area inspection requirements for determining whether or not the loan is eligible to close as well as if the loan qualifies for endorsement/insuring. Be sure to read these requirements if you lend in East Coast areas recently affected by Hurricane Sandy.

For the past two weeks, I have offered a series on private mortgage insurance cancellation, have explained the regulations involved and have offered some tips and tools to help consumers understand their rights regarding cancelling private mortgage insurance coverage for conventional loans.

You may have noticed in the past several months that the agencies have been updating long-known employment and income documentation requirements. These recent guideline updates and changes are likely in response to a discrimination lawsuit that was waged against Bank of America earlier this year claiming that Bank of America imposed ”unnecessary and burdensome requirements” on borrowers who received income because of a disability.

This is part 3 of a multi-part series that provides helpful questions and answers about FHA appraisals, properties and valuations. I recently ran across this list as I was actually searching for something on a completely different topic. I found these FAQs so helpful and informative I felt the need to pass them on in hopes they will be useful to you as well!

I recently ran across a list of FHA appraisal and valuation questions and answers from HUD as I was actually searching for something on a completely different topic. I found these FAQs so helpful and informative I feel the need to pass them on in hopes they will be useful to you as well!

This week I asked a few underwriters what their top gripes are lately with the files they receive for underwriting. Based on the underwriter responses, I was able to establish a few items worth mentioning.

There seems to be confusion out there in regards to a few of the recent changes announced by FHA in Mortgagee Letters 2012-3 and Mortgagee Letter 2012-4. The purpose of this week’s article is to provide you with further clarity on a few of the recent changes here.

I don’t know about anyone else but I can honestly say this is the absolute busiest and most overwhelmed I’ve personally felt in the near 25 years I’ve been in this crazy business of ours! I’ve never seen so many products changing and being added, so many differences between lender product overlays, so many crackdowns on compliance or so many major regulatory changes as we’ve been experiencing recently.

Last week I outlined upcoming changes to FHA’s mortgage insurance premium structure based on preliminary communication from HUD but subject to the release of an official Mortgagee Letter. Since then Mortgagee Letter 2012-4 has been issued which communicates the finalized changes to FHA’s mortgage insurance premium structure.

Anyone who is familiar with my article writing over the past several years probably knows I am a huge advocate for training and education in our industry whether it be for those coming in to the lending environment fresh with no prior experience or for the most seasoned veteran such as myself who have been working in the lending environment for well over 20 years or more.

At the end of 2011, HUD finally released a long-awaited current version of the TOTAL Scorecard User Guide. The prior version had not been updated since 2004. FHA requires that all loans be scored through TOTAL except for those transactions involving borrower’s with no traditional credit scores and streamline refinance transactions.

The Federal Trade Commission website is a resource I refer people to fairly often because of the informative and educational materials available for consumer distribution. The FTC offers a lot of great information available in web format, PDF format and some materials are even available to order in bulk quantities for free which makes this a great resource for seminar materials and overall distribution to homebuyers and homeowners.

One of the things I like to do at the start of each New Year is provide what I refer to as my lists of “freebies.” These are lists of websites and resources that have helped me over the years in one way or another and that often provide ongoing information that is helpful and informative on an ongoing basis.

I had a loan officer ask me this week “how does a borrower check the status on her MIP refund?” I informed the loan that HUD no longer automatically issues a refund check to borrowers whose FHA loans are paid off with non-FHA refinances. I was actually quite surprised the loan officer wasn’t aware that HUD’s prior stance regarding MIP refunds had gone by the wayside years ago.

If you’re like me, you can’t wait to be done with September and into October so that we can implement all of the major changes we’ve known have been coming for quite some time. In case you’ve forgotten or misplaced your list, here are some reminders:

As anticipated for quite some time, VA finally formally announced changes to VA funding fee structure that will be effective for VA loans not closed on and after 10/01/2011-See VA Circular 26-11-12. On the positive side is that the funding fees are decreasing which is great news for our U.S. veterans!

For those of us in the upper Midwest, we are fortunate not to deal much with Mother Nature’s unpredictable hiccups. We get occasional tornado outbreaks, some nasty thunderstorms, we deal with wind damage, hail damage and occasional flooding in low lying areas but for the most part, aside from our sometimes unbearable winters, we’re pretty fortunate up in these parts.

Right now we all have much to be grateful for. Record low interest rates have brought us record numbers of refinances which are boosting business for all of us in the industry. But while business is plentiful, so also can be the frustrations that come along with it.

This week I thought I’d take a break from the ongoing condominium articles that summarize HUD’s recently issued 95 page condominium processing guide and cover another topic that came up this week. I had a situation come up this week from a loan officer that I feel is relevant for many in out industry because it’s something that can commonly occur.

It is pretty common in my office to hear me say to one of my underwriters, “That is why you should always look for a way to turn it down first, it saves time and you won’t be force to have ridiculous conversations over conditions”, and needless to say I’m generally joking when I throw it out there.

"OFAC" is the abbreviation for Office of Foreign Assets Control. It is the specific branch of the United States Department of the Treasury that administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on US foreign policy and national security goals against targeted foreign countries and regimes, terrorists, international narcotics traffickers, those engaged in activities related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and other threats to the national security, foreign policy or economy of the United States.

With so many credit-related businesses springing up everywhere, consumers are becoming more educated about the importance of maintaining good credit. They’re also becoming more educated about their rights as consumers.

When a credit account owner permits another person, typically a family member who is managing credit for the first time, to have access to and use of an account, the user is referred to as an authorized user of the account. This practice is intended to assist related individuals in legitimately establishing a credit history and credit score based on the account and payment history of the account owner, even though the authorized user is not the account owner.

I ran across a blog while I was I was doing some research on a regulatory interpretation this evening and it really got me fired up. It never ceases to amaze me how badly some of the people in our industry answer questions for people who wouldn’t be asking if they truly knew anything about mortgages.

We’re all familiar with many of the components of LQI because most of them have been effective for quite some time now. We’ve become accustomed to checking interested parties against various exclusionary lists, validating each borrower’s social security number, assuring we’re including unit numbers in property addresses for condominium units, rounding the LTV calculations properly, following policies to detect and uncover undisclosed debts etc.

Very recently, while teaching an FHA Underwriting class for FHA Online University, the history segment of the training made me stop and think. It was unusual really, because I have taught this particular class at least once a month for the past four years and honestly, other than an occasional joke as to how students need to take notes because the historic information pertaining to the agency was on the “big” test, I never really thought much about it.

Hello – I hope everyone had a very nice holiday and let us all look forward to the New Year with a positive attitude that it will be a GOOD YEAR!!!! Let’s all Toast to 2009! Before, we can look forward to the New Year; I think we need to look back one more time – then LET IT GO.

I initially titled this article, “HUD Sues Lenders over Omission of Manufactured Housing Engineering Certificates,” but I decided that it might be a little over the top. But, the facts are this. A letter issued by the HUD Inspector General (MEMORANDUM NO: 2007-KC-0801) dated September 2007 recommended just that.

Hello Everybody – Another week in the mortgage industry is here and I am sure everyone uses the acronym FHA quite a few times a week. However, do we really know anything about FHA, when they were created, why they were created and what they really do? Who is FHA?

Everyone is getting back to their normal routine – it is important that we work together this year to help homeowners save their home, if possible. Fannie Mae has announced a program, which I feel is exciting and hopefully will help borrowers save their home.

There is confusion over just who can certify that a manufactured home foundation is permanent per HUD requirements. The simple answer is this. Only a professional engineer or registered architect can certify permanent foundations on existing manufactured homes whether under the September 1996 Permanent Foundation Guide for Manufactured Homes or the newer HUD Model Installation Rules.

Hello Everybody – Hope you are keeping busy. With interest rates up and down, depending on the day and hour of the week – refinances have been fluctuating as often. However, there seems to be a trend that home sales are on the rise and many lenders are keeping busy.

Hello Everyone - Are you currently processing loans for a small broker, processing loans on a contract basis, or perhaps working for a direct lender - Do you feel you are always one step behind the latest FHA Updates? While you believe you are processing your loans correctly – only after submission to underwriting you learn that FHA has changed the guidelines and you were not aware.

Hello Everybody – I feel the housing market is finally going to take a turn for the better. Although I have no crystal ball – I feel the questions, I have been fielding and the number of underwriting and processing jobs posted on CareerBuilder has soared.

Hello everybody – hope you are keeping busy. I see business definitely picking up and some processors and underwriters are getting swamped with new job offers. Recently I have received several e-mails from the readers of NAMP Blogs about how to get into underwriting.

Hello – There may be a glimmer of light for loan processors and underwriters as FHA rates and conventional rates, as well, continue to drop. The spark of increased could be FHA Streamline Refinances – which is what we will write about today.

Hello everybody – Keeping busy? I feel the market is definitely picking up; however, there are still many people out of work and needing help to avoid foreclosure on their home. So this week, we are going to go through the process of how to try and avoid foreclosure.

Hello Everybody – Hope everyone is staying busy. In my hunt for a topic every week, sometimes it is easy and other times, I haven’t a clue what I will write about until the last minute. This week was one of those last minute thoughts – so I hope this blog is helpful.

Hello Everybody – Hope everyone is doing well and staying busy. In my quest to find a topic for this week’s blog and in the interest of the economy and everyone looking for extra money – I have an idea – Look on the FHA Refunds web site.

Hello Everybody – Another week in the mortgage industry is here and I am sure everyone uses the acronym FHA quite a few times a week. However, do we really know anything about FHA, when they were created, why they were created and what they really do? Who is FHA?

Hello Everybody – I hope everybody is keeping busy these days. The refi market is definitely picking up and I see many more processor and underwriting jobs on CareerBuilder and Monster. In fact, I received calls from four headhunters in the past week asking if I were interested in a FHA Underwriting job; however, since I am currently employed and I am currently happy in my job, I decided to pass; however, I asked they please keep me in mind – because you never know.

Corporate Tax Returns seem to be the most frightening to everyone. I do not know one processor or underwriter who likes Corporate Tax Returns. Many borrowers set up a Corporation to protect their personal assets in case of bankruptcy or lawsuits. A Corporation is a state-chartered business that is owned by the shareholders. The shareholders could be as few as 1 or as many as millions. Compensations to the officers of the corporation are based on the percentage of ownership and are reflected on the shareholder’s personal tax return. If the percentage of ownership of is not shown on the tax returns, this information must be obtained from the corporation’s accountant. After the adjusted business income is obtained, it should be multiplied by the borrower’s percentage of ownership.

Hello All – Last week I covered the basic guidelines for the HECMs (Home Equity Conversion Mortgage). As outlined the guidelines are very basic since there is no credit qualifying; and could make an excellent source of additional income for seniors on fixed income. However, there are many questions that seniors as well as their heirs need answered before deciding to commit to the HECM.

Hello Readers! I would like to say that I am most anxious to share with you some of my experiences in the real estate industry. As an FHA DE Underwriter for the past 15 years, there has been instances when an initial 1003 and the final 1003 had so many discrepancies, I was not sure it was the same person. As the loan processor, you are the first person after the loan officer to review the 1003. Review the information to verify it makes sense.

Hello – This is the 2nd part of a series of 5 that will alert all loan processors, as well as loan officers and underwriters to “RED FLAGS” on the original application (1003). This week we will cover the income/employment section of the 1003.

Hello – I hope everyone is holding on to their job. In this economy it is frightening to say the least with the downturn of the real estate market. As the market gets tighter and banks are again tightening guidelines, it is important that good quality loans be submitted for underwriting and even more important that the borrowers are qualified to purchase and given instructions not to make any changes in their job or credit report prior to closing.

to its “slow” time of the year!! In my opinion if this entire year would have been any slower there would virtually be no one left in the industry. As it is – the downturn of the market has caused brokers and lenders to flea in massive numbers. Those remaining are the die hards and they are working hard for their deals; which is all the more reason to do our due diligence prior to sending a package to the investor.

Hello to everybody and sorry for the mix-up of last week’s blog, I missed the deadline because my mind was still on a holiday mode. Well this will be the final blog for this series on Mortgage Fraud and Red Flags.

Hello All – I hope the blog on Self-Employment is informative and it is helping to answer questions you may have. This week we will discuss Corporate Tax Returns, “S” Corp Tax Returns and Partnerships.

Hello Everybody - What is this Blog title you ask - Well it got your attention, now I will explain. The Blog Title is referring to the Summary of House of Representatives Bill Number 1728, which was introduced on March 26, 2009 by House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC) and Rep. Mel Watt - (D-NC). This House Bill, if passed, will change the mortgage industry as we know it today.

Hello Everybody - I hope everyone found the information contained in Part 1 of HR 1728 as interesting as I did. As I stated I cannot image all the changes in the House Bill actually becoming law; I feel by the time it is chopped up and amended, we probably will not recognize it as it reads today.

Hello Everybody - Hope you are keeping busy. With interest rates up and down, depending on the day and hour of the week - refinances have been fluctuating as often. However, there seems to be a trend that home sales are on the rise and many lenders are keeping busy.

Hello All - I understand that most persons who read this blog are loan processors, loan originators and others in the mortgage industry. This blog is not necessarily directed to loan processors or originators but rather to those who might know someone who may be facing foreclosure. The HUD.gov site is just a wealth of information.

Hello everybody - This week’s blog is going to be a little different, while it is very interesting, it is not exactly relating to FHA financing - although perhaps we will see FHA finance these types of housing someday. I found a very interesting article regarding shipping containers on the USA Today website.

Living on an island, long but still an island, there are still restorations of various types going on. If you lived in the New York Tri – state metropolitan area there is a good chance that you are restoring your property and/or infrastructure near you.

Last week I received a file to underwrite where the borrower’s tax return indicated that he earned more than 1.6 million in income. The Mortgage Loan Officer and the mortgage loan processor calculated the ratios based on the same income. The ratios were 2% over 4% and it was a slam dunk deal.as far as they were concerned.

Periodically forms utilized by lenders are revised or added for everyday use by mortgage lenders. On March 16, 2016, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s FHA and the United States Veterans Administration (VA) have revised a joint form. The FHA form number is HUD – 92900 – A and the VA uses form number 26 – 1802 – A. All FHA and VA lenders must begin using the revised form beginning August 1, 2016.

All mortgage loan programs except for Streamline Refinance Programs require the borrower’s Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax forms that were filed for at least the last or the last two years. If a borrower was self – employed we not only need the borrower’s personal tax returns we also need the most recent two years of business returns.

The Single Family Handbook 4000.1 changed the name of the Streamline 203(k) program to the “limited program. Properties being reviewed for the 203(k) program that have commercial influences as contained in a Mixed-Use property, One unit must be owner occupied primary unit and the non residential portion of the property cannot exceed 49% of the square footage. The health and safety of the residential units and residents must be of primary concern. If there is a question of the health and safety contact HUD as you would be surprised of the properties HUD has rejected for health and safety concerns.

Borrowers have all kinds of income. Most have traditional income with a periodic pay stub and a W – 2 a long with a IRS form 1040 in order to determine the income and to verify the income. The self – employed borrowers have the appropriate tax documents to determine and verify their income.

Appraiser’s when completing an appraisal report now place on every appraisal report the “Quality Ratings” on every appraisal report. These ratings are numbered after the “Q”. They can be from Q1 through Q6. The underwriter should make notice of the Quality Rating as well as the Condition Rating (C1 – C6)

All underwriters must review the appraisal report for each and every transaction that is being underwritten. The underwriter’s must take notice of the rating codes found in the Marketing Approach of each appraisal report. Failure to make notice of the code could result in a mortgage loan file not being purchases.

Over the years many FHA lenders have completed FHA deals with a gift incorrectly resulting in an indemnification. For those not familiar with the term “indemnification” it means that the FHA is removing the FHA insurance for a specific mortgage loan. If that loan defaults the lender would have to make good on the loan or have to buy the loan back since the FHA loan has lost their FHA insurance. The new Single Family Handbook 4000.1 spells out how to underwrite deals with a gift.

My previous article explained how HUD (FHA) wanted underwriters to review and to come up with an income trend using the borrower’s personal tax returns. There are many borrowers that self-employed and these borrowers use other forms to demonstrate their income trend.

Living and working in the New York Metropolitan area we often come in contact numerous religions, numerous ethnic groups and numerous traditions. In the New York area we have many orthodox Jewish people who do not believe in paying or receive interest from another. This group has GMACH which is one of the largest interest free bank staffed by volunteers.

Periodically somewhere in the United States a natural disaster occurs that impacts an area of the United States. When the President of the United States declares a county of a state a “federal disaster area” then borrowers may qualify for HUD’s 203(h) program.

The more I read the new Single Family Handbook (SFH) 4000.1 versus the old handbook HUD – 4155.1 and previous Mortgagee Letters there are changes made and numerous clarifications made. The changes and clarifications make it an easier program to utilize. The FHA 203(K) program always had a regular program and then the FHA added a Streamline 203(K) program. Now FHA has changed the names to the program. They are now referred to the “standard” and “limited” 203(K) program.

On September 14, 2015 the Single Family Handbook (SFH) 4000.1 becomes effective.A change that most will not pick up is the underwriting of HUD REO’s. For those that are not familiar, a HUD REO is a property that was foreclosed by HUD approved mortgage servicer and the property is now owned by HUD. The term REO means Real Estate Owned. These properties are usually sold at auction.

Buried in the new HUD – Single Family Handbook (SFH) – 4000.1 is the requirement for cases on or after September 14, 2015 to contain in each FHA case binder a “Pre – endorsement Review of Uniform Case Binder Stacking Order.”The review cannot be performed by the mortgage loan originator (MLO), the mortgage loan processor and by the Direct Endorsed Underwriter.

In order to underwrite an Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) you must make certain the borrower will demonstrate an energy savings and an energy improvement with the mortgage loan under the FHA 203(K) mortgage loan program.

Over four weeks I gave everyone the FHA changes effective September 14, 2015 unless HUD delays the implementation of the changes again. These changes were originally set to take place on June 15, 2015 but HUD issued a delay to September 14, 2015. HUD has taken away the discretionary methodology in calculating a borrower’s income for a wage earner and/or hourly wage earner. Under the new guidelines an wage earner that is earning a specific income consistently that is the borrower’s income. The underwriter must use the actual income. Borrowers being paid an hourly wage underwriters can use the income shown as long as it is being is being paid consistently. If not consistent then the income must be averaged over a twenty four month (24) month period.

On August 5, 2015, The United States Department of Housing Development (HUD) announced a proposed rule change to amend its existing regulations regarding the equal participation of faith – based (religious) organizations in HUD programs.

If there is no delay, the new Single Family Handbook (SFH) – 4000.1 is fully in effect with cases taken on or after September 14, 2015. I have already written three articles full of changes that are effective September 14, 2015.

Over the previous three weeks I have written about the numerous changes coming to FHA with the new Single Family Handbook (SFH) 4000.1. Some changes are minimal and some are not. Some changes enhance the program.

My previous two articles were about the changes taking place at the FHA with the replacement of HUD – 4155.1 and HUD – 4155.2 and numerous Mortgagee Letters with the Single Family Handbook (SFH) 4000.1 below are additional changes that everyone needs to be aware of.

Last week’s article was a glimpse of over 100 changes to the underwriting guidelines. In 2002 HUD – 4155.1 was written and now it is being replaced by the Single Family Handbook (SFH) 4000.1. The SFH -4000.1 contains a section pertaining to e – signatures. Tis technology did not exist when HUD – 4155.1 came out. HUD allows e – signatures. This section gives all the rules behind e – signatures such as identification, verifying the individual(s) involved and how to work with e – signatures.

I have spent a lot of time reading the new Single Family Handbook (SFH) 4000.1 over the last several weeks to primarily pick up the changes from the HUD – 4155.1 and HUD – 4155.2 and the many mortgagee letters (ML) in use. In my opinion there are about one hundred (100) changes going to take place and effective September 14, 2015. All Mortgage Loan Originators (MLOS), mortgage processors and Direct Endorsed underwriters need to know the changes.

2016 has seen numerous changes in guidelines for reviewing student loan qualifying payments. In this two part series, N.A.M.P. and N.A.M.U. will provide tools for processors and underwriters to use when determining which calculation should be used for qualifying student loan payments. Part I reviewed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s guidelines. We continue this series by exploring USDA, FHA and VA rules.

2016 has seen numerous changes in guidelines for reviewing student loan qualifying payments. In this two part series, N.A.M.P. and N.A.M.U. will provide tools for processors and underwriters to use when determining which calculation should be used for qualifying student loan payments. We will begin with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s rules on this topic. Part II will explore USDA, FHA, and VA rules.

There’s been several times that reimbursement from employee business expenses have been used against the borrower for mortgage qualification. This has caused the borrowers monthly income to be reduced based on the information noted in the two most current tax returns on schedule A or form 2106.

Many borrowers have deferred student loans. A deferment, like forbearance is a temporary suspension of the obligation to repay a federal student or parent education loan. In order to qualify for a home mortgage, these obligations were being “omitted” or calculated incorrectly. Therefore, the borrower’s ratio would be affected based on the mortgage product.

In recent year, FHA has published updates to the rules that affect how to process a FHA Reverse Mortgage or Home Equity Conversation Mortgage. This process is completed through what is a “Financial Assessment” that was added to the Reverse Mortgage effective date April 27, 2015. FHA required each lender to process a prospective mortgagor on all HECM transaction type.

On March 29, 2016 Fannie Mae issued an updated regarding DU 10.0 and Multiple Financed Properties. Previously, we lenders had to manually calculate the reserve requirements because DU did not provide that information. Well, that will all change the weekend of June 25, 2016. DU will now calculate the number of financed properties the borrower has and calculate the reserves for both the subject property and the “Other financed properties.” But before we get into the calculations for the total number of financed properties and reserves, let’s talk about the multiple finance property rule and when it applies.

Although the automated underwriting system provides guidance on loan analysis, it is critical to hone your guideline reviewing skills. Underwriting guidelines contain critical definitions, clarifications, and rules that must be applied on all loans. In some cases, the AUS will refer to the guidelines for the full list of requirements to address a particular loan characteristic. As a result, let’s review some best practices for using guidelines.

In the age of green technology the mortgage industry is beginning to see more properties with Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) systems, more commonly known as Solar Panels. In this 2-part article we will cover what solar energy is, how it works, the types of financing available and the documentation requirements. What are some of the benefits of using solar energy? It helps conserve our fossil fuel resources and reduces our reliance on imported fuels.

Last week we covered the different types of financing available for solar panels such as a Solar Lease, Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), a Solar Loan and the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. With a Solar Lease or Solar Loan, the lease/loan payments are included in the DTI (a solar loan payment is added to the PITI as subordinate financing),while payments for a PPA are excluded from the DTI since the homeowner only pays for the energy that was produced.

Underwriters and processors that work for non-delegated lenders must submit loan packages for review. Those packages are subsequently reviewed by the MI or investor underwriting team. These packages may also be reviewed by management, sales professionals, and auditors. As a result, it is important to put your best foot forward and present as clean and transparent a package as possible.

We have seen frequent changes in the requirements for including student loans over the last year. There was a time where student loans could be excluded from the qualifying ratios if the borrower was able to verify certain terms of deferment. In addition, income-based repayment plans and other temporary reduction plans were permitted. However, the agencies have recently released lender updates that are changing the student loan game.

GUS, or Guaranteed Underwriting System, is USDA’s automated underwriting engine. GUS can take some getting used to if you are most familiar with Desktop Underwriter or Loan Prospector. Here are some tips to help you navigate GUS and get the most accurate findings for submission to USDA.

As the weather warms and the housing market gains steam, volume will increase. Production standards will be revisited by management and rush requests will become the new normal. The pressure to get loans out of the underwriting queue will increase. As a result, we must tighten up our process flow and put some best practices in place. One of the most fundamentally important best practices is the validation of the findings.

On March 9, 2016 the final rule published in the Federal Register in February is now in effect. We have been working under the interim final rule since December 1, 2014. There are a few new items in the handbook along with the restructuring of the handbook similar to FHA’s 4000.1 where all information is gathered in one single source and divided in sections for Manual Underwriting and GUS Accept. Chapters 5-16 were updated with new guidance and/or clarifications to old guidance. I am not going to go over all of the changes but I will talk about some of the more pertinent changes and clarifications that were done.

USDA introduced several changes on December 1, 2014. These were the interim rules that became effective with the introduction of the new guaranteed loan program regulations 7 CFR Part 3555. Since then, USDA has finalized these rules. Those final changes became effective March 9, 2016.The first highly anticipated change is that discount points may now be financed for all applicants.

The busy season in the mortgage industry is fast approaching! Soon, the weather will break and homebuyers will come out of hibernation to begin searching for their next home. As a result, this is a good time to think about some best practices for maximizing productivity and efficiency. Time management is one of the most critical of these practices.

Most underwriters and processors have the basics of calculating income down to a science. The hourly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, and annual calculations are second nature to those of us who calculate income every day. As a result, many processors and underwriters will manually execute their calculations on an underwriting or processing worksheet. Many underwriters will also type their calculation on their underwriting transmittal. However, there are some drawbacks to manual calculations that an income calculation worksheet can overcome.

The past year has seen sweeping changes in almost every area of loan origination, underwriting guidelines, and loan disclosures. USDA and FHA have both created new handbooks that came with completely new guidelines. The CFPB introduced the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosures which replaced the Good Faith Estimate, TIL, and HUD-1. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac introduced new guidelines for many topics including review of Schedule-A Unreimbursed Expenses and required reserves for borrowers retaining their home as a secondary or rental property.

Commission income is income that varies and fluctuates. Commission income can vary each month based on the amount of sales the borrower has completed. Tax returns are required on commission income if the commission earnings are > than 25% of total earnings. Variable sources of income are subject to external influences. These types of income sources need to be analyzed carefully.

USDA’s new 7 CFR Part 3555 program became effective December 1, 2014. As a result, all lenders have begun to “re-learn” USDA loan origination and processing. There is a new guideline hand book, along with fillable pdf documents posted on the USDA LINC website: https://usdalinc.sc.egov.usda.gov/USDALincTrainingResourceLib.do

In the days of CFPB debt ratio thresholds and tighter lending restrictions, every underwriter needs to have a few tricks up their sleeve for saving debt ratios. Usually we try to use the more conservative income calculation to avoid investor push-back. However, there are a few perfectly provable income sources that we can use to support a lower debt ratio and return an approve/eligible or accept finding

Calculating qualifying rental income is one of the more complex income calculations an underwriter can perform. This is particularly true when the borrower owns multiple investment properties. The challenge is determining when rental income can be used to qualify and, once income is calculated, reconciling the total debt ratio.

As many of us around the country desperately cling to the hope that spring will come sometime this year, we can also stop to think how the long, harsh winter may affect property conditions. Roof, gutter, and foundation damage from prolonged snow pile up, ice damming, and flooding is a very real possibility for homeowners in 2014. As a result, we may have some underwriting considerations to address as we prepare for spring and summer business.

There are several forms of credit documentation that underwriters examine to determine creditworthiness of the applicant. The most frequently discussed is the credit report. However, supplementary documentation can be just as illuminating as the primary report when reviewing the borrower’s credit profile.

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and USDA Rural Housing have all made extensive strides in 2014 to update and strengthen their automated underwriting engines. Much of this was in response to the finalized Ability to Repay and Qualified Mortgage rules from the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau).

Effective August 16, 2014 Fannie Mae will make several changes to Desktop Underwriter version 9.1. The changes are applicable to all loans submitted or resubmitted on or after August 16th. The changes are as follows:

Most lenders are in full swing of the busy summer season. Many of us have seen an uptick in submissions as families purchase new homes and few seek to refinance their existing home. With this increase in business comes an increased demand on underwriters to decision loans as quickly as possible.

Underwriters that work for mortgage shops that are non-delegated with private mortgage insurance (PMI) vendors must submit loan packages for review. Those packages are subsequently reviewed by the PMI company’s underwriting team. These packages may also be reviewed by PMI management, sales professionals, and auditors.

Appraisal rebuttals occur when the appraised value comes in lower than expected. The low appraised value has a negative impact on the LTV causing the loan to require mortgage insurance, or the loan becomes a decline. In an effort to avoid this, loan originators will often seek out additional comparable sales data from realtors and the Multiple Listing Service (MLS).

When reviewing loan documentation, we often focus on the big things; making sure the debt ratio and LTV are correct, validating loan terms, and matching up names and addresses. Signatures are an equally important and often overlooked area in documentation review. They are required on a variety of documents from borrowers, loan originators, and third parties.

The Rural Housing Development’s (RHD) Guaranteed Rural Housing Program (GRH) is designed to assist borrowers in obtaining safe, sanitary, and adequate housing in rural areas. RHD applies income limitations to designated counties in each state to determine eligibility. The GRH program is similar to a mortgage insurance program. The borrower may purchase a home at 100% LTV based on the appraised value on a 30 year fixed rate loan.

Automated Underwriting System (AUS) findings have become more sophisticated as the mortgage industry has turned its focus to lending quality, transparency, and regulatory compliance. As a result, some are left wondering, do I still need to look things up in my guidelines? The answer is, YES!

We all know that the mortgage industry is an ever-evolving, constantly changing business. Many mortgage lenders adjusted and restructured in 2013 as the refi boom wound down and volume was low. As a result, there is a bounty of mortgage talent available on the market. How can you prepare to be competitive in this employers’ market?

In response to the CFPB’s Ability to Repay (ATR) and Qualified Mortgage (QM) rules, leading investors have instituted a Debt, Income, and Asset Verification Worksheet. This worksheet was created to provide consistency and uniformity in the reporting of underwriter rationale in determining the borrower’s ability to repay. Some lenders are adding this form (or a screen) into their loan origination system.

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has and is addressing the housing market’s “shadow inventory” and to target relief to communities experiencing high foreclosure activity. HUD announced that in the first quarter of 2013 10,000 to 15,000 distressed homes were sold by HUD through the DASP.

What are some things that come to mind when we think about the underwriting role? Do you think of the mysterious department in the back where everyone speaks in hushed tones? Do you picture a big, red denial stamp and a person with a maniacal gleam in their eye? If you do, then it’s time to examine the underwriting role more closely.

One of the hottest topics in the mortgage industry today is the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau’s (CFPB) sweeping regulatory reforms. Many are questioning how the new rules will impact the industry and whether the reforms are positive or negative. Some have concerns for our ability to remain productive and profitable with so many new restrictions.

Maintaining an organized workspace is essential for loan processing and underwriting efficiency. Underwriters and processors may encounter a wide variety of loan scenarios in their day to day work life, some of which are unfamiliar. When we keep tools, resources, and contact information on hand, we can cut down on the time it takes to look up guidelines and find the answers we need.

Subordinate financing refers to liens that are secondary to a first lien or mortgage. They are often used in purchase transactions to assist a customer whose purchase price exceeds conforming loan amounts ($417,000) and wish to avoid jumbo pricing. Subordinate liens may also be obtained independently of a purchase transaction for a variety of purposes including home improvements, cash out, and debt consolidation.

In the first part of this series we discussed the calculations for hourly wage-earners. Now let’s review salaried borrowers and the correct calculations for the various pay periods. Salaried borrowers have an annual salary that is disbursed throughout the year in structured pay periods. The most common pay periods are bi-weekly and semi-monthly. However, it is important to recognize all the pay-period types and know the correct calculations.

Wage-earner income can be complicated when trying to determine the correct income calculation method. There are so many terms we hear in conjunction with income calculation such as: bi-weekly, semi-monthly, wage earner, base salary, and hourly wage. But what do these terms really mean and how do we apply them when calculating income?

Most loan processors and underwriters are familiar with the general rules of credit report review. We double check for mortgage lates and we compare our liabilities to the information disclosed on the 1003. However, there are more details to consider within the credit report.

The Written Verification of Employment (WVOE) is a tool commonly used to verify income. It provides critical information for borrowers who have multiple sources of income. Overtime, bonus, and commission can be broken out from the base salary to help the underwriter accurately calculate the qualifying monthly income. However, WVOE’s should not be taken at face value. A proper analysis of these forms can help you correctly calculate income and mititgate risk on the loan.

When underwriting and processing a loan file, we look to the AUS (automated underwriting system) findings to determine what documentation is required. The recommendations on the report help us package a strong loan that will perform profitably. Although DU, LP, GUS, and Total Scorecard findings are strong tools in risk management, their one weak spot is data integrity.

In the correspondent/broker world, where we do not have the benefit of servicing our own loans, it is critical to hone your guideline reviewing skills. Correspondent and broker lenders have up to three sets of guidelines that should be reviewed when underwriting and processing a loan: Agency, Investor, and Insurer / Guarantor. As a result, when underwriting a file, I take the following steps:

In December I promised to be giving updates on the new HARP refinance programs as details emerge, and so being good to my word I am returning to the subject. Unfortunately there are not many details to talk about, and what there is to say is almost guaranteed to give you a headache.

So here we are, 2012 is underway. Speculation about what this year is going to bring is of course a popular subject these days and the doomsday crowd is getting ready for a party. I hope they are all around to suffer the “hangover” in 2013 since that would mean they are wrong again.

2012 is here. A year of promises to be made and a year of prophecies. Promises of positive change and prophecies of imminent doom. Whichever it may be I think we can be assured that it is going to be yet another year of change in our industry. So in other words…the same old thing.

It would feel redundant right now to talk about the mortgage crisis, the financial meltdown, the homeless or really any subject that deals with the issues being discussed by the “Occupy” movements that highlight the controversy of the 99% versus the 1%. We need to talk about solutions.

With the interagency review requiring reform, review of loan files and now the media attention brought by the Occupancy protests are all putting pressure on the large servicers to “clean up their acts”. It seems we may be seeing some positive progress in the form or realistic reform.

As I was going through some of my old paperwork the other day, getting ready to move my office, I came across this old gem. Dating before credit scores, these Scales of Justice are just as important today and so I thought I’d share them with you.

The completion of the loan application form can make the loan process smooth or a nightmare. A complete application with the proper supporting documentation versus an inaccurate application can make all the difference in the world. We all know this, it is mortgage 101, however to this date it is one of the biggest concerns/problems in the system. The problem I think is that often times the completion of the loan application is looked at as a “starting point...to be completed later”.

Well...I’m going to start with a short background of my career and a hint about the future subject matter you are likely to see from me. I have worked in the mortgage industry for 25 years now and you could really say I’m a “lifer” as my father’s family was also in the industry as realtors, lenders and appraisers.

I sat down at my computer tonight and thought I’d see how many acronyms I could rattle off the top of my head. Here is my 10 minute effort: (and if you know what they all stand for – you’ve been in this business too long!)

The recent mess with the foreclosure paperwork (or lack thereof) can serve as a reminder to all of us about the importance of due diligence and complete and accurate loan files and not to let automation make us complacent.

Yes, I’m still receiving the rare refinance inquiry from my loyal past clients and referrals. These calls generally start like this – Hi Theresa, I’ve been seeing ads everywhere that interest rates are at record lows and I should refinance my mortgage now...or...I got a phone call saying I could get a great refinance deal and it won’t cost me anything and will lower my rate as low as 3.5%.

This week I’m looking through my originator eyes. I tend to think of myself more as a Mortgage Loan Advisor than a Loan Officer. As I have already mentioned, probably more than once, I never set out to be a loan originator and I am the first to admit that I am not a “salesman”. I do love this part of the process however and for one reason.

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